Blarney on the Block: St. Patrick's Day event takes on life of its own

Blarney on the Block’s family-friendly celebrations begin at 2 p.m. Saturday with games. The parade, led by the Fort Collins Drum and Pipe Band, starts at 2:30 p.m. on the 8th Street Plaza in front of Mariposa Plants & Flowers. Meet in front of the flower shop if you want to take part as it is open to the public.

A Go-Cup district, which allows you to take a cup of alcohol around the 9th Street Plaza, will be open from 1-6 p.m. The Stubby Shillelaghs, Greeley’s popular band that plays Irish folk songs mixed in with its own material, should start playing about 4 p.m.

All activities, save for the alcohol, are free.

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Last year, the Downtown Development Authority put on the first official St. Patrick’s Day celebration in Greeley that anyone could remember. When you put on something new, you never really know who’s going to come out.

Now the DDA wonders if the Blarney on the Block is already outgrowing its modest parade route. Last year was a smash.

So the DDA is expecting another big crowd for Saturday’s parade, games and fun, especially given that there will be a special Go-Cup district from 1-6 p.m.

The parade still isn’t huge by Rose Bowl standards, or even the local holiday parade standards. Sure, the Fort Collins Drum and Pipe Band will lead the way, and the Sheriff’s Posse and their horses will strut down the street, and, well, that’s almost it. Hamling chuckled when she was asked how long the two-block parade should last when it starts at 2:30 p.m. Um, maybe 15 minutes?

“Last year I threw it together, and it was very popular, and it already seems to have grown this year,” Hamling said. “It will be too big for my britches here next year.”

That means forming a committee and taking it to 9th Avenue, home of the more popular parades. In the meantime, Hamling wants the parade to be even bigger — or at least kinda big — by inviting anyone who wants to march, as well. Meet in front of Mariposa Plants & Flowers if you want to take part.

The Go-Cup district means patrons can carry a cup of alcohol outside, but this event is family-friendly. Rubber duck races, a potato-spoon race and other games start at 2 p.m., and the pipe band performs, as well, until the parade starts a half-hour later.

Last year, the event was bolstered by a beautiful spring day, and the forecasts call for that again. But with any growing event, the weather may not matter as much.

“When you start to get an event that establishes itself,” Hamling said, “people come out regardless.”